Wheeled gun carriage having divergible trails



July 3, 1923.

E. SCHNEIDER WHEELED GUN CARRIAGE HAVING DIVERGIBLE TRAILS 6Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed NOV. 27 1922 July 3, 1923. 1,460,505

- E. SCHNEIDER WHEELED GUN CARRIAGE HAVING DIVERGIBLE TRAILS Filed Nov.27, 1922 Fig.2

6 Sheets- Sheet 2 MEWS ISL/M55 July 3, 1923.

. 1,460,505 SCHNEIDER WHEELED GUN CARRIAGE HAVING DIVERGIBLE TRAILSFiled Nov. 27. 1922 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 mm 1; 1 QEFRDNANM' July 3, 1923.1,460,505

5 SCHNEIDER WHEELED .GUN CARRIAGE HAVING DIVERGIBLE TRAILS Filed Nov.2'7, 1922 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 July 3, 1923.

E. SCHNEIDER WHEELED GUN CARRIAGE HAVING DIVERGIBLE TRAILS I Filed Nov.27, 1922 6 SheetsSheet 5 July'3, 1923. 1,460,505

7 E. SCHNEIDER WHEELED GUN CARRIAGE HAVING DIVERGIBLE TRAILS Filed Nov.27. 1922 s sheets-sheet s 'I/IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII- r/l/(IllllllIl/I/l/lPatented July 3, 1923.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EUGENE SCHNEIDER, OF PARIS, FRANCE, ASSIGNOR TO SCHNEIDER & CIE, OFPARIS, FRANCE, A LIMITED JOINT STOCK COMPANY OF FRANCE.

WHEELED GUN CARRIAGE HAVING DIVERGIBLE TRAILS.

Application filed November 27, 1922.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EUoizNE SCHNEIDER, a citizen of the Republic ofFrance, residing at Paris, France, have invented new an usefulImprovements in or Relating to WVheeled Gun Carriages Having DivergibleTrails, which is fully set forth in the following specification.

This invention relates to improvements in the invention described in mycopending application, Sr. No. 476,302, filed June 9, 1921.

The present invention is illustrated in detail in the accompanyingdrawings in which Figure 1 is a partial longitudinal sectionalelevation.

Figures 2 and 91* comprise a corresponding horizontal section.

Figures 3 and 3 comprise an end elevation with partial cross-sections.

Figure 1 is a partial section taken along the line 4 1 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a partial section taken along the line 5-5 of Figure 2.

Figure 6 is a partial longitudinal sectional elevation of a modifiedconstruction of the elastic suspension of the gun, for transport.

The improved gun according to the present invention comprises in theknown manner a wheeled axle, that is to say, an axle A with two wheelsB. The carriage head proper C is fixed to the wheeled axle duringfiring, but it can be suspended elastically from the said axle fortransport, as is assumed to be the case in the example de scribed in myaforesaid earlier patent.

The suspension may comprise leaf springs D interposed between the axle Aand the carriage head C. The carriage head 0 comprises for this purposea block or buckle D in which the bundle of leaf springs is fixed, themain leaf being connected by means of knuckles D to rings D attached tothe wheeled axle A. The combination of the two trails F. is capable ofwarping, in other terms, of assuming oblique positions relatively to thecombined wheeled axle B-AB and the carriage head C. The said trails arepivoted at one end 7 to a cross-piece F and each carries at its rear endan anchoring device (not shown).

The pivotal connection of the trails to the combined wheeled axle andcarriage head is Serial No. 603,699.

effected in the manner described in my earlier patents, numbered 1085168and more particularly 1084490.

This pivotal connection comprises a hollow longitudinal journal F 2mounted in a bearing d which is fixed to the block D, the latter beingin its turn journalled in the carriage head C.

As hereinafter described, the combination d D is fixed to the carriagehead C for firing, in such a manner that the combined trails FF -F canrock relatively to the combination C(Z --D in other words, relatively tothe carriage head which is itself fixed to the axle tree A. This rockingmovement of the trails F-F -F is effected by rotation of the tubularjournal F in the bearing (1 In the same manner as described in myaforesaid earlier patent, the pivot pin 9 of the gun pedestal G whichcarries the gun barrel, instead of having its foot-step hearing formedin the carria e head C, is located in a gun mount H w ich is pivoted tothe carriage head C. This pivot pin 9 can be returned at any time intothe vertical position for which purpose it can receive both anuprighting or erecting a longitudinal uprighting movement on the onehand, and a transverse uprighting movement on the other hand.

For the purpose of effecting the longitudinal uprighting movement thegun mount H is pivoted to the carriage head C by means of a pivot pin Iarranged vertically underneath the centre of gravity of the rocking massand in front of the axle tree A. This pivot pin is mounted in an eye 0of the carriage head (Figs. 1 and 3), and extends through two bearingsit formed on the gun mount H.

For the purpose of effecting the transverse uprighting movement of thepivot pin g, the combination constituted by the carriage head C pivotpin I, gun mount H and pedestal is arranged to pivot around the trunnion03 For this purpose the carriage head C has projecting laterally from ita helical toothed sector C (Fig. 3) meshing with a worm J whose shaft isjournalled in a bearing A fixed to the axle tree A.

A rigid connection between the carriage head and the axle tree A duringfiring is produced by the fact that the combination dD is fixed to theaxle tree A by means of a pin K (Figs. 2 and 3). On the other hand arigid connection between the carriage head C and the hollow journal 65is produced by the meshing between the toothed sector and the worm Jcarried by the axle tree A.

The rotation of the carriage head 0 around the journal (Z1 for thepurpose of effecting the transverse uprighting of the pivot pin 9 isproduced by means of a sultable gear for rotating the shaft of the wormJ. This gear comprises for instance a bevel pinion j meshing with apinion j fixed on a shaft j which is journalled in bearings fixed to theaxle tree and can be operated by means of a hand-wheel y' The mechanismfor uprighting the pivot pin 9 in the longitudinal plane of the guncomprises, as shown in the drawings, a toothed sector H formed as aprojection from the gun mount H, and meshing with a pinion L. The shaftof this pinion is journalled in a forked bearing block m formed on ajournal M fixed to the carriage head C. This journal M is co-axiallymounted within the longitudinal tubular journal F of the combinedtrails.

The transverse uprighting is effected by the pivotation of the combinedtrails around a geometrical axis of oscillation relatively to thecombined wheeled axle and carriage head.

The mechanism for effecting the movement of the sector H over the pinionL for producing the longitudinal uprighting movement, comprises forinstance, as shown in the drawings, a worm wheel L fixed on the shaft ofthe pinion L, meshing with a worm L which receives its motion from thepinion L meshing with a pinion L whose shaft, which is journalled inbearings fixed to the block m, can be actuated by means of a hand wheelL The gun elevating mechanism is fulcrumed on the gun mount H. Itcomprises, on the gun pedestal G, two toothed sectors G each meshingwith a. pinion s mounted on a shaft 8 journalled in bearings fixed tothe underside of the cradle S. The rolling of the pinions s over thesectors G is produced, for instance. by means of a transmission gearconsisting of a worm wheel 8 fixed on the shaft 8 and meshing with aworm s the shaft of which carries a pinion s which can revolve with thesaid shaft in a box .9 fixed to one of the trunnions S of the cradle S.

The pinion s is driven by a pinion 8 actuated by means of a hand wheel 8whose geometrical axis coincides with the axis of the trunnion S 7 Fortraining the gun, the gun pedestal G is engaged with the gun mount Hwhich latter comprises a toothed sector H formed on an arc struck from acentre situated on the axis of the pivot pin g. The movement of the gunpedestal over the sector H is produced by means of a suitabletransmission gear consisting, for instance of a worm N whose shaft 11.is journalled in bearings fixed to the gun pedestal, and carries a bevelpinion a which receives its motion through gearing n -n n" actuated bymeans of a hand-wheel n.

As hereinbefore described, the combination cZ -D upon which the carriagehead C is adapted to rock may, for the purpose of effecting thetransverse uprighting movements, serve as a bearing block for a bundleof leaf springs D, the main leaf of which is suspended from the wheeledaxle A. This elastic suspension is rendered inoperative during firing,by the block D being locked in position by means of the pin K, and alsoby the engagement between the sector C and the worm J.

In order to bring the elastic suspension into operation for transport, ameans is provided for disconnecting the sector C from the carriage head(1, or more strictly speaking from an arm constituting a projection fromthe latter.

As shown, the sector C is connected to the said arm, by means of a pin 0(Fig. 4:).

If the two pins K and 0 be both withdrawn, the sector C will remainrigidly connected to the axle tree A, and the arm projecting from thecarriage head C will be capable of sliding over the said sector.

For the purpose of facilitating the mounting of the longitudinal axis ofpivotation of the combined trails relatively to the combined axle treeand carriage head, as well as the mounting of the elastic suspension, arecess is formed in the axle tree A (Fig. 1) for the reception of aportion of the block D together with the bundle of leaf springs carriedby the latter.

In the modification illustrated in Fig. 6, the combination (l -JD,around which the carriage head C can rock for effecting the transverseuprighting movements, is constructed in the form of a rocking beam tothe ends of the arms of which there are articulated blocks D, eachcarrying a bundle of leaf springs D the main leaf of which is suspendedfrom the axle tree A.

This modification has the advantage of increasing the transversestability of the gun during travel.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my saidinvention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare thatwhat I claim is z-- 1. A wheeled gun carriage comprising, incombination. an axle, a block pivot-ally secured thereto having alongitudinally extending bearing portion. a pair of divergible trailsadapted to rock about said portion, a carriage head pivotally secured tosaid portion, a mount pivotally secured to said head, a pedestal havinga pivot pin, means pivotally securing said pedestal to said mount, andmeans for moving said pivot pin to a vertical position from any inclinedposition.

2. A wheeled gun carriage comprising, in combination, an axle, a blockpivotally secured thereto having a longitudinally extending bearingportion, a pair of divergible trails adapted to rock about said portion,a carriage head pivotally secured to said portion and adapted to berocked about the latter, a mount pivotally secured to said head, apedestal having a pivot pin, means pivotally securing said pedestal tosaid mount, and means for moving said pivot pin to a vertical positionfrom any inc-lined position, the axis for the transverse uprighting ofsaid pivot pin coinciding with the longitudinal rocking axis of saidtrails, and the axis for the longitudinal uprighting of said pin beingsituated in front of said axle in a vertical plane passing through the)center of gravity of the rocking mass.

8. A wheeled gun carriage comprising, in combination, an axle, atransverse member having a longitudinally extending bearing portion, abundle of leaf springs interposed between said member and axle, a pairof dive-rgible trails adapted to rock about the longitudinal axis ofsaid portion, a carriage head pivotally mounted on said portion, andmeans for moving said carriage in a vertical plane parallel to said axleabout said portion.

4. A wheeled gun carriage comprising, in

combination, an axle, a block having a longitudinally extending bearingportion, resilient means interposed between said axle and block forsupporting the latter, a carria/ge pivotally mounted on said bearingportion for movement in a plane parallel to said axle, a pair of trailspivoted to said bearing portion and movable about the longitudinal axisof the latter, a gun mount, a pivot pin interposed between said carriageand mount about which said mount may be moved in a plane at right anglesto said axle, said pin being situated in a vertical plane passingthrough the center of gravity of the rocking mass.

5. A. wheeled gun carriage comprising, in combination, an axle, a blockhaving a longitudinally extending bearin portion, resilient means forsecuring sai block to said axle, a carriage head pivotally secured tosaid bearing portion having a transversely extending arm, a toothedsector, a removable pin for securing said arm to said sector, meansengaging said sector for rocking said carriage head about said bearingportion, said arm being adapted to slide along said sector when said pinis removed, and a pair of divergible trails pivotally secured to saidbearing portion.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification.

EUGENE SCHNEIDER.

Witnesses:

Arman MOSTIOKER, Louis GARDET. U 3

